Postgame ponderings

ST. LOUIS The Predators have been more fortunate than a lot of teams this season in regard to injuries, but it looks as if they’ll have to deal with their first significant crunch in the coming weeks.

Preds coach Barry Trotz said following Tuesday’s 4-3 win over St. Louis that defenseman Kevin Klein and forward Martin Erat are “very doubtful’’ for Thursday’s game against Columbus. Nashville is already without forwards Jordin Tootoo (broken foot) and Jerred Smithson (broken hand).

Klein was lost in the opening minutes of the game after taking what appeared to be a shot to the back of the head from St. Louis’ Keith Tkachuk. Erat was lost in the closing minutes of the first period after colliding with the Blues’ Barret Jackman in what Trotz said he believed was intentional knee-to-knee contact on the part of Jackman.

Trotz didn’t want to take a stab at estimating how long Klein and Erat will miss, but if Klein’s injury is a concussion – obviously a possibility with a head shot – he’ll almost certainly be out of action for at least a week and maybe more. There was some thought Erat would return to Tuesday’s game, but he never did and, like Klein, will be reevaluated Wednesday in Nashville. If it proves to be a knee sprain, perhaps Erat won’t be out too long. If it’s some kind of torn ligament, who knows how long he’ll miss?

Trotz said Alexander Sulzer will be called up to take Klein’s place in the lineup, but he wasn’t as sure about which forward would be recalled. The two most obvious candidates to fill an offensive void would be Mike Santorelli or Cal O’Reilly, though neither has been productive on the NHL level. If the Preds wanted a wing instead of a center, maybe they’d turn to a player like Peter Olvecky, who has 19 points (nine goals, 10 assists) in 32 games for Milwaukee. I guess Dave Scatchard would be an option as well, but he’s more of a grinder and was just sent down Monday to get his game back in order.